One by One
by The Norse Nerd
Summary: Nightkit is just a normal ForestClan kit, until a forest fire leaves him scarred for life. With the help of Moonshadow he will learn to deal with his new appearance, and learn the ways of a warrior.
1. Allegiances

ALLEGIANCES

FORESTCLAN

LEADER

Thornstar-dark grey tom with lighter stripes and dark blue eyes

DEPUTY

Blackheart-white she-cat with black legs, muzzle, tail, and belly

Apprentice, Crow

MEDICINE CAT

Cherrytail-small tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes

WARRIORS

Snowhare-white tom with brown eyes

Cloudheart-grey tom with white spots and blue eyes

Hailstorm-big grey tom with blue eyes

Rosedapple-brown she-cat with grey eyes

Sharpfang-brown tabby tom

Adderflight-light tabby tom with white muzzle and green eyes

Sedgeclaw-light ginger she-cat with amber eyes

Patchwhisker-small black she-cat with white chest, legs, ears, and face

Apprentice, Turtlepaw

Bramblefeather-muscular red -brown colored tabby with amber eyes and scar on his shoulder

Emberheart-orange tabby she-cat with blue eyes and white face and legs

Sandcloud-sand colored tom with darker flecks, white face and underbelly, and green eyes.

Sunlight-golden tabby she cat with brown eyes

Hawkfoot-dark grey tom with black flecks and ice blue eyes

Dawnheart-grey tabby tom with light blue eyes

APPRENTICES

Turtlepaw-grey brown tabby she-cat with lighter face, legs, underbelly, and tail tip with ice blue eyes

Crow-dark grey almost-black tom with ice blue eyes, former loner

QUEENS

Redfur-red-orange she-cat with lighter paws and grey eyes, mother of Sharpfang's kits: Ashkit (dark grey tom with stubby tail) Foxkit (orange tom with ice blue eyes, white face, paws, and tail tip) and Blossomkit (tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with blue eyes)

Stonepelt-grey she-cat with black spots underneath her eyes, lighter paws, muzzle, tail tip, and green eyes, mother of Bramblefeather's kits: Jaggedkit (white tom with tan-and-black striped patches and green-blue eyes) Nightkit (black tom with bright green eyes)

ELDERS

Goldenheart-golden she cat with darker flecks, lighter muzzle, paws, and grey eyes

Larkflare-small tabby tom with green eyes

Finchflower-young orange tabby she-cat with blue eyes and lame leg (had to retire early)

MOUNTAINCLAN

LEADER

Eaglestar-dark tabby tom with green eyes and scar over his left eye

DEPUTY

Owltalon-dusty brown tom with yellow eyes

Apprentice, Pouncepaw

MEDECINE CAT

Duskfire-white tom with orange and light striped patches and one blue and one green eye

WARRIORS

Gorsetail-ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes and lighter face, chest, and paws

Jayclaw-small dark grey tom with lighter muzzle and blue eyes

Apprentice, Poppypaw

Wolfpelt-white tom with grey patches and green eyes

Apprentice, Thistlepaw

Rainflower-grey tabby she-cat with lighter face, chest, paws, tail tip, and light blue eyes.

Shadedsnow-muscular dark grey tom with black stripes, underbelly, and legs with amber eyes

Apprentice, Pebblepaw

Fernwhisker-dark brown tabby she-cat with lighter stripes and green eyes

Apprentice, Amberpaw

Midnightclaw-black tom with white muzzle and tail tip and brown eyes

APPRENTICES

Poppypaw-brown and darker spotted she-cat with lighter chest, paws, and tail tip and green eyes

Pouncepaw-dark grey tabby tom

Amberpaw-tan colored tom with ginger stripes, white muzzle, and amber eyes.

Thistlepaw-tan tabby with white muzzle, chest, legs, and green eyes

Pebblepaw-red-orange tom with darker striped tail, white tail tip, paws, muzzle, chest, and grey eyes.

QUEENS

Dovetail-grey she-cat with lighter flecks, mother of Shadedsnow's kits: Bluekit (blue-grey she-cat with blue eyes and silver underbelly) Tawnykit (tawny colored she-cat with lighter spots, white muzzle, legs, and chest

ELDERS

Frostflower-white she cat with black ears and spots under her blue eyes

Littlebird-tabby tom with stubby tail

CLIFFCLAN

LEADER

Silverstar-silver tom with light blue eyes

DEPUTY

Halftail-grey and white tom with brown eyes and only half a tail

Apprentice, Brackenpaw

MEDICINECAT

Goldenberry-golden she-cat with blue eyes and white muzzle, chest, and paws

WARRIORS

Mothshine-long-furred white she-cat with green eyes

Apprentice, Frecklepaw

Lionwhisker-long-furred tan tom with lighter underbelly, paws, and green eyes

Apprentice, Icepaw

Hawkwing-muscular long-furred grey tom with green eyes

Mousenose-grumpy light brown tabby she-cat with white face, paws, chest, and tail tip

Apprentice, Diamondpaw

Shatteredice-white she-cat with dark grey underbelly, muzzle, tail, paws, and blue eyes

Lostfoot- white tom with claw marks over one eye, his throat, clawed ears, three legs, dark grey ears, underbelly, muzzle, tail, paws, and blue eyes

Cheetahspots-yellow tom with brown spots, amber eyes, and white muzzle

Thunderfang-big orange tabby tom with tan muzzle, paws, chest, tail tip, and deep blue eyes

Apprentice, Whitepaw

Speckleface-tan she-cat with red spots and green eyes

Pineforest-white she cat with grey and black striped patches

Lightgrass-yellow tom with lighter paws and blue eyes

APPRENTICES

Icepaw-grey she-cat with ice blue eyes and dark brown underbelly and tail

Frecklepaw-tan she-cat with red flecks and white muzzle with green eyes

Diamondpaw-grey tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Brackenpaw-brown tom with amber eyes

Whitepaw-long furred white tom with blue eyes

QUEENS

Spottedleaf-white-and-tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes, mother of Thunderfang's kits: Scorchkit (Orange tom with darker paws, tail, and green eyes) Sandkit (White and tan colored tom with green eyes)

Tigerflower-orange she-cat with black stripes and white muzzle, underbelly, and amber eyes, mother of Thunderfang's kits: Firekit (orange tom with white underbelly, back, muzzle, and green eyes) Flamekit (red-orange tabby tom with green eyes and white muzzle) Ravenkit (black tom with white muzzle, chest, underbelly, paws, tail tip, and blue eyes)

ELDERS

Greycloud-once beautiful old white she-cat with grey ears, underbelly, and face

Blizzardfern-long-furred white tom

WATERCLAN

LEADER

Petalstar-yellow she-cat with darker flecks and white chest and paws

DEPUTY

Heatherpelt-gold and brown tabby tom with tufted ears, lighter muzzle and tail tip, and blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT

Marshberry-brown tom with darker flecks, ringed tail, and lighter muzzle, chest, and legs

Mistypaw-white she-cat with grey tabby patches and green eyes

WARRIORS

Spiderleap-dusty brown she-cat with brown eyes

Sootshade-dark grey tom with darker spots and blue eyes

Tigertail-brown tabby tom with darker face and white ears

Apprentice, Minnowpaw

Gingerheart-tan tabby she-cat with white underbelly, face, paws, tail tip, and green eyes

Brightflower-pretty white and ginger striped she-cat with blue eyes

Apprentice, Squirrelpaw

Thrushflight-tabby tom with amber eyes

Apprentice, Maplepaw

Crowheart-long-furred black she-cat

Apprentice, Cinderpaw

Cloudystream-dark grey tom with lighter stripes, face, chest, paws, and blue eyes

Rowanfur-ginger tabby tom with lighter muzzle, paws, and blue eyes

APPRENTICES

Squirrelpaw-orange tom with green eyes

Cinderpaw-grey tom with black stripes and blue eyes

Maplepaw-light brown tabby she-cat with lighter muzzle, tail tip, and green eyes

Minnowpaw-dark grey she-cat with black stripes, white tail tip, and green eyes

ELDERS

Willowfeet-silver tabby she-cat with grey eyes

Rockpelt-dark grey tom with amber eyes

Sparkheart-orange tabby tom with green eyes


	2. Prologue

The sky was cold and starless. The only light that shone down on the dark forest was from the half moon. The scent of decay hung heavy in the air. The wind howled noisily through the leafless trees. Moonlight reflected from a lone rocky pool hidden among the undergrowth.

Crouched beside it was a silver tabby with a large scar running from his neck down past his stomach. He gazed into the calm silver water, almost as if he were asleep. The bushes behind him rustled and he spun around, claws unsheathed and back arched.

"Calm yourself Moonshadow, it's just us!" A tortoiseshell she cat emerged from the undergrowth, two dark shapes following close behind her. Moonshadow sheathed his claws and sat back down by the pool. Moonshadow smiled at her.

"I never know Russetleaf; believe it or not there are many cats here who would _love_ to sink their claws into me." He mewed.

A dark tabby tom stepped out from behind Russetleaf, who had sat herself by the pool, her tail neatly curled over her paws.

"Why have you called us all here?"He hissed, his ice blue eyes glowing bright in the endless night of the forest. Moonshadow ignored the hostile tom and leaped up a rock to address them all.

"I have gathered you all here tonight to choose my apprentice." He said

"Quit acting like our leader! No one rules here!" A black tom with a white muzzle called out.

"Quiet Whitewhisper," Moonshadow's eyes flashed with annoyance. "Unless you are ready to chose your own apprentice? Last I remembered you still haven't chosen yours!"

Whitewhisper grumbled and fell silent, sitting hunched by the pool. The tabby crouched down beside him, tucking his paws underneath himself and giving Nightwhisper a sympathetic glance.

"If it's alright with you Moonshadow, I would like to announce my own apprentice as well." Russetleaf said.

Moonshadow sighed with impatience and reluctantly nodded at her, showing his approval. _This was supposed to be_ my _meeting_ , he thought to himself. Russetleaf stretched out a paw and tapped the water. It rippled and swirled until a shape shone in its depths. A young white tom was visible in the water.

"I have chosen Whitepaw of CliffClan to train." She mewed, glancing at the other toms waiting for their approval. The tabby turned his head to her and nodded slowly.

"He's a strong cat; he'll do nicely for you." His ears twitched.

"Thank you Cometblaze." Russetleaf said, looking proud that she had gotten the praise of the coldhearted tom.

"If we're done now I would like to get on with _my_ announcement." Moonshadow hissed. The other cats ceased their mews of congratulations for Russetleaf and looked up at him.

Moonshadow flicked his paw across the water. It rippled and shone with the reflecting moonlight up above. A black kit formed among the churning water. Moonshadow waited for the other cats to praise him on his choice as they had done for Russetleaf.

"Him? But he's so little! Whitewhisper exclaimed with disbelief.

"He'll grow as all kits do!" Moonshadow lashed his tail.

"But he's too soft; he won't make a good fighter." Cometblaze observed.

"Then I'll harden him up! He won't stay young forever you know!" Moonshadow hissed at the cats gathered beside the pool. How dare they insult his choice in apprentice! Russetleaf's apprentice was only older than him by a few moons!

"I hope you didn't just choose him because he's your kin Moonshadow." Russetleaf mewed.

"Of course not," Moonshadow exclaimed. "I specifically chose him for his soft heart! He'll sympathize with me and _want_ to help me escape! You know how kits are, they'll trust anyone!" Moonshadow went on.

"Don't you want to leave this place? It's so dark and it reeks with the scent of death! I want to go back to the living world. I want to feel the leaves under my paws and the sun on my back once more."

The other cats sitting by the pool closed their eyes, remembering all the luxuries of the living world. Russetleaf lowered her gaze solemnly back to the pool.

"No one wants to go back to the Clans more than us Moonshadow, that's why we're here. I'm sorry." She sighed wistfully and closed her eyes.

Moonshadow leaped down from his rock. He padded over to her and brushed his muzzle along her cheek.

"I know, that's why I'm doing this. I will make sure we make it back, don't worry." He whispered.

Moonshadow turned and left the clearing, pushing through the undergrowth. This place was dark and disgusting, they wanted to leave more than anything. He glanced back up at the black sky and narrowed his eyes. A lone star shone bright in the endless black the stretched as far as the eye could see. Moonshadow smiled. _I know you're watching me, and there's nothing you can do to stop me._


	3. Chapter 1

Nightkit woke to the sun shining through the bramble screen of the nursery. He blinked sleepily, his eyes adjusting to the sunlight. His brother, Jaggedkit, lay still asleep next to him. It wouldn't be long before he was up as well though. Jaggedkit almost always woke as the sun rose.

The moss nest shifted and Nightkit turned around to see his mother Stonepelt stirring in her nest. Nightkit hopped up from the nest and shook his mother's shoulders gently. Her green eyes opened and she gazed fondly down at her son.

"Good morning Stonepelt!" Nightkit ran his muzzle along his mother's cheek.

"Good morning Nightkit, did you sleep well?" She asked him.

Nightkit nodded eagerly. The other queen in the nursery, Redfur, looked up from grooming Foxkit, who scowled as she held him firm between her forelegs. Her other kits, Blossomkit and Ashkit sat beside Redfur giggling, their tortoiseshell and grey pelts shining with the rising sun.. They had clearly already thoroughly groomed. Today was their apprentice ceremony, and they had to look their best for the clan.

"Redfur, I'm clean enough! Let me go!" Foxkit wailed.

"You're done when I say you're done!" She exclaimed in-between her vigorous licks.

Blossomkit bounced with excitement, her paws twitching as if she couldn't wait to head outside.

"I wonder who our mentors will be!" She squeaked.

"I bet I get Thornstar himself! He'll want to train me because I'm the toughest kit in the clan!" Foxkit exclaimed.

Nightkit highly doubted that, clan leaders usually only mentored the kits of their deputies. Foxkit's father Sharpfang was just an ordinary warrior. Besides, Foxkit was more annoying than tough.

"I wonder if I'll get Sedgeclaw," Blossomkit pondered aloud. "Or maybe I'll get Snowhare!"

"No way, Snowhare is way too old to have another apprentice!" Foxkit sneered. His mother quickly cuffed him over the ears.

"Don't be rude Foxkit! Snowhare is just as quick as any warrior." Redfur scolded her son. Snowhare was the oldest senior warrior, and it was only a matter of time until he retired.

"Who would you like as your mentor Nightkit?" Ashkit asked.

"Well, Bramblefeather is a good warrior." Nightkit replied. He would love to have his father mentor him. He was one of the strongest warriors in ForestClan.

"You can't have you father mentor you!" Foxkit hissed suddenly, making Nightkit flinch.

Blossomkit ignored Foxkit's harsh words. "That's a good choice Nightkit, what about you Jaggedkit?"

Nightkit turned to see his brother staggering sleepily out the nest, his tan and white striped fur ruffled with sleep. He yawned and sat beside his brother.

"Adderflight is pretty cool, he _always_ brings home the most prey for the fresh-kill pile." Jaggedkit rubbed the sleep from his tired eyes.

"Speaking of prey, I'm starving! Let's go get something off the pile." Ashkit mewed to his sister. They padded out of the nursery together.

"Can I go now?" Foxkit scowled up at his mother.

"Fine, this is as clean as you'll get I guess." Redfur sighed.

Foxkit shot out of the den to catch up with his littermates. Nightkit exchanged a glance with his brother and they left to join them outside.

The camp was bustling with life, Larkflare and Goldenheart sat sharing tongues on the Sunning Stones. The two apprentices, Turtlepaw and Crow, were busy repairing the elders den, weaving brambles throughout the already solid den. With leaf-bare coming soon they had to be prepared for the cold weather. Thornstar sat outside his stone den with his deputy Blackheart by his side. They eyed the kits already gathered by the fresh-kill pile; Nightkit wondered what they were talking about.

Nightkit's paws skimmed the warm earth of the clearing as he bounded over to the fresh kill pile. He came to a stop beside Blossomkit, who had picked up a mouse from the pile and was already halfway done with it. Her pretty tortoiseshell-and-white fur was shining in the early morning light. Nightkit felt his heart beat faster, Blossomkit had always been pretty, but in these past few moons she had really grown up. _Does she like me too?_ Blossomkit hardly ever said what she meant, so maybe he'd never know.

"Nightkit stop mooning over Blossomkit and choose something already!" Jaggedkit nudged his flank with his muzzle, yanking his out of his thoughts. Nightkit hurriedly tuned back to the pile embarrassed, had he really been staring again?

"You want to share that squirrel?" Jaggedkit gestured to the red-furred creature laying limp beneath two mice and a blackbird.

"Sure." Nightkit took it gently in his teeth and tried to pull it from the pile, but it was lodged tightly underneath the other prey. He adjusted his paws to get a firmer grip on the ground and pulled harder. Suddenly he was buried beneath the contents of the fresh-kill pile!

He could hear the purrs of the senior warriors as they sat beside their den, a low handing bush, grooming their sleep ruffled fur.

"Having trouble there little warrior?" Nightkit recognized the soft mew of Rosedapple and the sweet scent of Sedgeclaw beside him. She lifted the squirrel from off his back so he could scramble to his paws. Nightkit's pelt burned with the amused stares of his older Clanmates. _How embarrassing!_

"I could have gotten out myself." Nightkit mumbled.

Sedgeclaw purred. "Of course you could, but it's always nice to have help from your fellow warriors."

Rosedapple gave him back the squirrel and Nightkit's tail twitched in thanks. He padded back to where his brother was sitting beside the elders den, watching the apprentices with interest. The elders den consisted of low hanging bushes and the trunk of a fallen tree. According to Stonepelt, the tree had fallen long before Nightkit and his brother were born. It had fallen in a storm and had been struck by lightning. Nightkit could see the faint burn marks still left on the trunk after moons of being weathered away.

Jaggedkit had his gaze stuck on the pretty young she-cat Finchflower, she was an orange tabby with blue eyes. She stood watching her sister Turtlepaw weave brambles through the branches of the elders den, her leg hanging limp and lifeless behind her. She had been hit by a monster on the Thunderpath a few moons ago. Though Thornstar had given Finchflower her full name earlier that her littermate, she could never carry out warrior duties and had chosen to take care of the elders and queens instead. Jaggedkit seemed captivated by her, after all she was beautiful, but Nightkit liked her more for how nice she was, she always brought the kits soft feathers for their nests and played moss ball with them when she could.

Jaggedkit shared the squirrel with him and kept stealing nervous glances at Finchflower. Nightkit ran his paws over his small whiskers, cleaning the remains of the squirrel off his face.

Jaggedkit flicked his ears. "Do you think she likes me?"

Nightkit carried on with his washing. "Well she doesn't hate you. She's kind of old for you though."

"Love knows no age." Jaggedkit retorted, his tail lashing on the frosty earth.

"You've been listening to the elder's tales again haven't you?" Nightkit chuckled at Jaggedkit's dramatic statement. Suddenly Jaggedkit's head swiveled towards the thorn tunnel that reached out through the camp walls. He opened his jaws and leaped excitedly to his feet.

"I can smell Bramblefeather! He must have gone on a border patrol!" Jaggedkit squeaked enthusiastically, scampering off to the camp entrance to meet them. Nightkit followed more slowly after them.

The big grey tom, Hailstorm led the patrol through the thorn barrier, followed closely by Sandcloud, Patchwhisker, and Nightkit's father Bramblefeather. As he passed the kits, Jaggedkit crouched and pounced on his tail. He turned in surprise, his neck fur rising in alarm, then calmed when his gaze rested on his sons.

He sighed. "Shouldn't you be in the nursery?"

"We can leave! We aren't newborns!" Nightkit answered. His father had always been awkward around them.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Thornstar's call echoed in the morning air.

Quickly, the clan gathered by the leader's announcement rock, Redfur, Blossomkit, Ashkit, and Foxkit sat beside the rock. Foxkit looked like he was about to burst with pride. _Great, another thing for him to brag about_ Nightkit thought darkly as he settled between his mother and brother, separate from the rest of the clan since they couldn't yet catch their own prey yet.

"Today, Redfur's litter has turned six moons old, so their time to become apprentices starts today." Thornstar beckoned Blossomkit forward with his tail and leaped down from the Highrock. She was trembling with anticipation.

"From now on until you earn your warrior name you will be known as Blossompaw." Thornstar reached out and touched her shaking shoulder with his tail. _Who will she get as her mentor?_ Nightkit pondered.

"Bramblefeather, you are a brave warrior. I expect you to pass on your skills to Blossompaw and turn her into an incredible warrior." Bramblefeather stepped forward and touched noses with her. They sat off to the side as Thornstar carried on with the ceremony. _Lucky!_ Nightkit thought. She would get to train with his father!

"Foxkit, from now on you will be known as Foxpaw. Adderflight, you are long overdue for your fist apprentice, I trust you to teach all you know to this young cat." The new pair touched noses and joined the others.

"Ashkit, you are a smart and caring young cat. From now until you receive your full name you will be Ashpaw. Cherrytail" Thornstar smiled down at his medicine cat. "Ashpaw has requested to be your apprentice. Teach him the ways of a medicine cat." Ashpaw looked happy as he touched noses with his mentor. _I didn't know he wanted to be a medicine cat._ Nightkit thought. The clan started to disassemble from the clearing after they had cheered for the three young cats.

Foxkit immediately started bombarding his mentor with questions. "What will we do first? Are we going to learn any battle moves? Or will we learn the hunting crouch?"

"Slow down! First me and Bramblefeather will take you on a tour of the territory." Adderflight purred.

"Will Ashpaw be coming with us?" Blossompaw glanced back to where her brother was walking into the medicine den with Cherrytail.

Bramblefeather shook his head. "He is a medicine cat now; he will have a different schedule than you."

Their chattering was lost as the left through the thorn tunnel. Nightkit couldn't help but feel jealous. He wanted to explore too. But he couldn't leave camp yet until he reached six moons. Nightkit sighed wistfully. He couldn't wait to explore.


	4. Chapter 2

"Do you want to play moss ball with me and Finchflower?"

Nightkit raised his head from its resting place on his paws. Jaggedkit looked at him hopefully with big blue-green eyes.

Nightkit shrugged. "No thanks." He laid his head back down and sighed.

"What's wrong with you lately? You seem kind of depressed Nightkit." Jaggedkit smoothed his tail over Nightkit's spine fur. Nightkit swiped his tail away.

"It's nothing!" Nightkit hissed. Immediately he regretted snapping at his brother. Jaggedkit was just worried about him.

"I'm sorry. But it's just not fair!" Nightkit gushed to his brother. "Blossompaw, Ashpaw, and Foxpaw get to explore and learn battle moves and hunt, while we're stuck in camp! We're only a quarter-moon younger than them!"

"But we have to wait until we're six moons old Nightkit. There's no way to become an apprentice before then." Jaggedkit shuffled his paws on the dusty earth. It was true, the warrior code forbid kits being apprenticed before six moons. But Nightkit couldn't wait any longer!

"What if we show them that we're ready _now_?" Nightkit exclaimed sitting up and looking his brother in the eyes.

"What?" Jaggedkit looked surprised.

"If we show Thornstar that we're ready then he'll have to make us apprentices!" Nightkit bounced to his paws. That was a great idea! Maybe he could catch something for the fresh-kill pile! Or maybe chase of an intruder!

"No! I'm not going to break the code Nightkit! What if Thornstar punishes us instead?" Jaggedkit backed away, shocked at Nightkit's suggestion. "You may fancy getting your apprentice ceremony being pushed back, but I don't!" Jaggedkit walked back over to where Finchflower was waiting for him by the bramble enforced yew bush and the trunk of the fallen tree that made up the elders den. Was his idea really that bad?

Nightkit pushed away the half eaten mouse that lay in front of his paws, he had lost his appetite. He padded over to where Crow and Turtlepaw where sharing tongues beside the apprentices tree next to their den.

"Hello Nightkit! Do you need something?" Turtlepaw smiled at him. Crow stared down at him, making him feel smaller that he already was.

"Will you take me hunting?" Nightkit asked the pretty tabby she-cat. Her and Crow exchanged a glance.

"I don't think so Nightkit. Kits aren't allowed outside will they're six moons old." Crow mewed, running his paws over his whiskers. Nightkit glared indignantly at them.

"I _already_ know that! That's why I asked you two!" Nightkit lashed his tail with frustration.

"Well we can't take you out, but I can show you the hunters crouch." Turtlepaw spoke.

Nightkit felt his spirits lift. That was more like it!

"First you crouch down, like this." Turtlepaw lowered herself to the ground, and Nightkit tried his best to imitate her. "Then take all your weight onto your haunches so your paws will be light when you stalk your prey." It felt awkward, but Nightkit did as he was told.

"Very good Nightkit! But try to keep your tail still, so it doesn't trail behind on the ground." Turtlepaw adjusted his tail with her paws.

Crow chuckled. "He looks ridiculous."

"And I suppose you were perfect your first time weren't you?' Turtlepaw scoffed. Crow stopped and looked at the ground. Just then the golden tabby warrior Sunlight, and her littermates, Emberheart and Sandcloud, padded over to them.

"Is that his first try?" Sunlight turned and her brown eyes met Crow's blue, he seemed to have been frozen in place.

"Y-yeah, it is." He replied in a quiet voice Nightkit had never heard before. Crow looked nervous. _He must like Sunlight a lot_ Nightkit realized.

Emberheart shivered, fluffing out her white and ginger tabby patched fur. "It's really cold for greenleaf; do you think it will rain?" Emberheart looked above her head and through the trees; the sky was dark and cloudy.

"I'm pretty sure it will, but only StarClan knows for sure." Sunlight removed her gaze from the stuttering black-furred apprentice.

"Nightkit, can you try out your new hunting technique on that leaf over there?" Sandcloud inquired, gesturing to the fallen leaf that lay a tail length away from Nightkit. Nightkit nodded vigorously and crouched back down. He stepped lightly across the clearing and pounced, landing squarely on the fallen leaf.

"Hunting leaves are we? I thought that was Ashpaw's job." Nightkit looked up into the blue eyes of Blossompaw. His heart leaped. How had he not noticed she'd been gone?

Bramblefeather padded out of the thorn tunnel with Adderflight and Foxpaw. Nightkit didn't see any of them carrying prey. They must have been on a border patrol. Foxpaw looked pleased with himself.

"We chased off a CliffClan patrol! It was awesome!" Foxpaw bragged to Nightkit. Nightkit frowned with a surge of jealousy. Foxpaw was protecting his clan already!

"We didn't chase them off Foxpaw, we simply told them to not stray too close to the border." Adderflight padded up to his apprentice. "But you did well with identifying their scent."

"It's not so hard since they reek!" Foxpaw mewed.

Nightkit felt a heavy raindrop land on his muzzle. Sunlight was right, it was raining. The cats who were gathered in the camp slowly began to head to their dens for shelter as the rain grew heavier, leaving Nightkit alone in the middle of the clearing. As Adderflight and Foxpaw went to their dens, Nightkit picked up their parting words.

"Tomorrow we're going hunting on the WaterClan border."

That wasn't fair! Nightkit was ready to become an apprentice; he shouldn't be stuck here when he could be helping ForestClan! As the thunder clapped for the first time, Nightkit bolted through the unguarded thorn tunnel.


End file.
